


The Script - Story about Eva Pond and Tom Hiddleston

by Finney13



Series: The Script [1]
Category: British (UK) Actor RPF, Tom Hiddleston - Fandom
Genre: Angst, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-24
Updated: 2018-07-08
Packaged: 2019-05-27 23:15:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 10,039
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15035459
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Finney13/pseuds/Finney13
Summary: Eva Pond is an aspiring screenwriter who has a dream of getting her script to be produced as a full feature film. Her chance comes when the script is given to Tom Hiddleston's manager and Tom likes it - a lot. Well, the leading role is originally written for him... Except that it is not just the script that he's going to be in the leading role but also accidentally in Eva's life. And that is a problem because she's married.





	1. Chapter 1

### 1.1

She knew the day had come. Her relationship with her husband had been bad for a long time and they had been drifting apart for a long time. Divorce was unevitable. And she knew that she had to make it clear before moving forward. Before making it official with Tom. Before letting the world know that one of the most wanted bachelors in Britain was finally taken. Before the press found out that it was by a married woman.

She had already packed her bags for her early flight back home next morning. This time she would fly back for the last time, tell her husband that it was over and hand over the divorce papers for him to sign. Then she would stay the rest of the visit in a hotel, maybe meet with some friends and the come back to London, the place she now called home.

She tried to distract her mind from the upcoming agony of facing the situation as it was by worrying about having everything with her first double and then triple checking her bags. As if it would matter if anything was left behind - she'd be back soon and this house was then about to become her home.

Besides, she already had left the most valuable thing she had here: her heart. With Tom.

But the house was now empty besides her and her bags. Tom had been alerted to shoot some final extra scenes for his soon to be released film and he had travelled there the day before. Bobby was taken to his "nana" to be fed all the goodies in the world and having limitless amounts of belly rubs until Tom was back. So she had been left to cope with her own devices in the huge house and in London.

There was a time not in so far in the past when she would've loved the idea. Now she only wanted to get her broken marriage to be sorted out for good so that she could move on.

They had sat on the sofa with Tom the night before his flight and talked.

"I really am sorry about leaving you to cope with this alone. I would never ever do this unless the schedule was ridiculously tight and at the last moment" Tom said hugging her tight.

"I know. Just, don't worry about it. I'm a big girl already. And besides, you have taken good care of me already by arranging the drive to the airport and a seat in the plane. A girl couldn't ask for anything more" she said softly kissing his forehead.

"Yeah, but I ought to be there to support you. It is kinda my fault too you're doing this, you know" he said with sadness and frustration in his voice.

"What have I done to deserve you" she sighed quietly and cocked her head with a faint smile "You are so good to me and I adore you for it."

Tom looked her right in the eyes and said: "Just remember Eva that I am always here for you no matter what. Even though I am not there in person you are in my thoughts all the time."

A tear fell from her eye on his shirt when they tightly embraced each other in the bittersweet silence, dreading the things they had to do and go through before they could be happy together.

### 1.2

She had loved her husband at one point. A lot. But they had been young and gotten engaged and married in a whim thinking the first love would be the one. It worked for a while, quite long in fact, almost 10 years.

But when she had realised that if she wanted to get anywhere with her screenwriting dream she would have to move at least to London, it had been the dealbreaker. Her dreams just weren't the same anymore with her husband, they just weren't playing in the same team anymore.

They had tried to make it work, truly. But travelling back and forth from London to home kept getting more and more exhausting and it also kept her from meeting deadlines and missing few juicy deals.

So she had rented a studio in London and decided to work for a proper long period in one place to create continuity and being able to do the work that needed to be done. The script was already in good shape and there was some preliminary interest on it too, so it was definitely worth it. So she had stayed in London and worked there while her husband was back at home, thousand miles away working at his own job and taking care of their home.

### 1.3

And then one day her agent had called her: the script had been given to Tom's manager for viewing. She had written the leading male part specifically Tom in mind so this might be the one big push that the project needed to go forward. If Tom would be interested in the part enough that he'd agree to let her use his name as a leverage in the sales of the script to production houses that might mean getting the film actually made.

The following day she had received a phone call from anonymous number. Palms sweating she had answered.

"This is Eva Pond"

"Hello Miss Eva, this is Tom Hiddleston speaking" a soft deep voice said in the other end of the line.

"Umm...hello..." she had answered and felt the rush of blood on her cheeks, then mentally slapped herself to get a grip and do this thing like an adult "Yes, sorry, very nice to talk to you. How are you?"

"I'm fine thanks. I'm calling about the script you had sent to my manager and I would like to discuss about it a bit more. I read the first few scenes and I was fascinated by it."

"Oh wow, thank you" she chuckled to the phone, "I... I have been working on it very hard and I'm pleased to hear you find it interesting"

"So I'm quite busy at the moment but I'm now in London and I could squeeze in a breakfast meeting tomorrow or day after that if that fits your schedule? Treat is full on me and I'll even serve it for you hot and steaming myself."

"Umm, sure, yes, I'm free any day really, as I'm mostly just writing" she stuttered to the phone "so just choose which suits you better and I'll be there at the dot."

"Alright, if it's all the same to you tomorrow morning at 8 it is then" Tom said decisively "I'll send you my address in a text message along with the port code, ok?"

"Yeah, that's ok, thank you"

"Alright, we'll talk more then tomorrow. It was nice talking to you Miss Eva. Bye"

"Yes, likewise Tom, thank you, bye"

Once the call had ended she sat down on her studio floor stunned and speechless. She was a step closer into getting her script on the screen. Finally!

When the phone chirped for Tom's text message with full contact details and home address it hit her: she was going to eat breakfast with Tom Hiddleston the next morning at 8 at his home and get to talk with him not only about the script, but also the role she had written specifically him in mind.

Then a thought had entered her mind: Had he said hot and steaming himself or had he meant the breakfast by it? Giggling to her own silly girlish thoughts she had decided to go through the script once more and the selling points she had prepared for the project.

She knew all of it by heart but she was about to present it to Tom, the man she had written it to.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the back flash Eva and Tom meet for the first time face to face. They have good chemistry and the future looks promising for her script.
> 
> In the now the promising future seems to crumble into bits and pieces after she finds out that someone has leaked her and Tom's relationship to the yellow press in her home country where she is right now traveling.

2.1

On the next morning Eva had rang Tom's doorbell and the man had kept her waiting and almost panicking that she had the wrong door. But when the door had been opened and Tom had cheerily welcomed her in the panic had melted and turned into hunger thanks to the divine smell of cooking that had lured into her nose from the house.

"What are you cooking here" she had asked "this was supposed to be just a breakfast meeting!"  
"Well, I am making the breakfast as I promised and it happens to be a English one" he had replied laughing while guiding her to the kitchen "I did say I would serve it hot and steaming. Please, have a seat, it is almost done."

"So... you liked my script then?" she had asked sheephisly when she couldn't come up with any other opener.  
"Very much, yes. I think the lead character is in a tough spot and you've managed to make his situation very compelling. I was hooked already once I had read the first few scenes" Tom had replied while setting the table. "I was told you had written it specifically for me?"  
"Yes, yes I did" she had answered blushing, "The role is layered and not every actor can do it. I think you're perfect for it and I am very happy that you agreed to meet with me and are interested in playing the role."  
"Well, you have my full attention now. Well, apart from the food that is. Tuck in, let's talk while we eat"

They had spend well over an hour eating and talking about the script and getting excited about the prospect of actually getting it produced as a film. Tom had been eager to give feedback and views from his perspective on the lead character's forthcomings that Eva hadn't thought of earlier. He had also agreed to take the role if she could sell it, so she was able to use his name in the sales pitch.

And while they both had kept the whole meeting very professional, she had gotten stuck looking at Tom's blue eyes way too many times and absolutely forgotten what she was talking about. Tom had made her laugh and they had laughed together with tears in their eyes. Chemistry between them had been undeniable from the get go.

"Goodness, where has the time gone! I need to get prepared for the next meeting " Tom had said when his phone had bleeped to remind him of another meeting. "Even though this was definitely the most fun breakfast meeting I have had in a while"  
"Likewise! I don't have to eat anything else today thanks to you and I have also laughed so much I must have added few years into my life" Eva had replied smiling while gathering her noted script and pens back to her bag and heading for the door.

"Listen, I'm definitely on board with this project" Tom had said while helping her coat on "But not just because the script is awesome. I always want to support independent projects such as this whenever I can, too. But it's also because I can't remember when I have had such good connection with the person who is the driving force behind the project. I know you have worked hard on this and I can only do as much to make sure to present your creation as authentically as I can"  
"Wow. I... I am... I think I am speechless" she had chuckled "Thank you! That means a lot. And yes, I agree, we do have a good connection" she continued while blushing on which Tom had replied only with a smirk.

Before she could step outside Tom had hugged her unexpectedly, looked her in the eyes and told her that he was very happy to have met her.

Eva had walked out of the door in the most pink haze she ever had had. His scent had lingered in her nose for a long time afterwards and the hug had given her a definite answer on whether Tom's body was actually as tight as it looked. She had definitely been happy that she had managed to get Tom aboard the project.

But she had also had mixed feelings about having been given signs by Tom that maybe he was interested in other things as well than just merely working with her.

She was married. Not necessarily happily, but married nonetheless. A promise had been made to stay loyal to one person even though that person now felt like belonging to a whole another lifetime.

She had decided not to let her feelings get the better of her. Not now when her life's work, the script, was on the line. This was just about work and that was the way it had to stay.  
2.2

Eva arrived at the airport alone. The airport being surprisingly quiet she decided to check in early and go have something proper to eat as she had enough time to do that before the flight.

On the cafe with a large mug of coffee and a big sandwich she tried to call her ex to make sure he was coming to pick her up. They had stayed in good relations despite the divorce happening and picking her up was kind of the last request she had asked him to do for her.

But there was no answer even after three tries. She knew he was already at work but he usually did pick up the phone no matter what. Not stressing about it she then tried to call her best friend back at home. That gal answered even if she was getting her head chopped off.

No answer.

"Ok then" Eva wondered "what the actual hell is going on?"

She tried to call also her mother and sister but they propably were just busy at the moment as they did not answer her calls either.

This can't be good. This can not mean anything good. Eva was now panicking and had totally lost her appetite.

She just wanted to hear some friendly voice but Tom was in the States and it was night there anyhow so she couldn't bother him. She wouldn't bother him now, he had a lot on his plate already. Her neighbour and friend Dani was definitely busy making breakfast to her kids before waking them up and she didn't feel it was right to disturb her on that.

While there was nothing she could do but wait the people she'd tried to reach to call back she decided to go through the sales proposition for the production houses. She was about to present her script to few of them on the following week once she had returned from her ex-home to London, her now-home. The pressure on that took her mind off the knot in her stomach at least for a while.

When she was just about to board her flight her phone woke up. It was Luke, Tom's publicist. She answered and told him how happy she was to finally hear a friendly voice.  
"Listen Eva, I'm afraid I don't have good news" Luke said seriously and continued "I'm going to be very blunt right now as I know you're about to get into the plane. I just found out that someone has leaked your and Tom's relationship to the press at your homecountry. Once your plane lands there will be press and paps waiting for you for sure asking for you to comment."

She stood stunned in the middle of the corridor that lead to the plane. That was it. That was why no one back at home had answered her calls. She was speechless.

"Eva, are you still there?" Luke asked worryingly.  
"Yes, yes I am. I just..." she sighed deeply "How this could happen? Do you know who leaked the story?"  
"Well it depends on who have you told about it" Luke said honestly "If it had been in the press here it would've been easier for me to find out, now I really have nothing to start with."  
"But I have only spoken about it to few people, just to a friend who I have known since childhood and my mother and sister" she said and the lump in her throat started swelling.  
"Well, then those are the most likely options for the leak." Luke said.

She had never felt so betrayed and alone in her life as she was hurried into the plane and onto her seat by the stuart.

"What am I supposed to do now? What do I do when I land?" she asked sobbing.  
"When you land, don't give any comments to anyone. Don't make any contact with any reporters or paps at the airport, ok? I'll make sure someone is at the airport to take care of your safety and with a ride to take you from the airport directly to your hotel. Give me a call once you get there. I'll have more details and better picture of the situation then. I'll help you through this Eva, ok" Luke said assuringly.  
"Thank you Luke" she sighed into the phone "You are an angel"  
"No I'm not, I'm just someone who deals with this shit all the time. I'll start working on it now. Welcome to the big league Eva."

Eva stared out from the plane's window. Tears poured from her eyes. She couldn't believe she had been betrayed by someone she trusted. She had known that the press would find out about the relationship eventually but she, and Tom too, had hoped it would happen only once her divorce was through.

But the cat was already out from the bag. All she could do now was to embrace for impact.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After working together for three months Tom calls Eva and says he has something he needs to talk about and it is not about the script...

Three months after the first meeting with Tom Eva had been working actively with her agent to get the script produced. They had met with several production houses and having Tom in the lead role had definitely taken them forward. But getting a film produced wasn’t just about good script and the actors. It was also about having a great director, getting finances in order and making sure that the film was properly targeted and marketed. While they had made a lot of progress at this point, they had found a director and made preliminary agreements with few producers there was still a lot to do.

At the same time Eva and Tom had been working on the character development and he had also agreed to be a producer in the film. It wasn’t what she had originally planned but she was more than happy to have the input from an experienced actor to improve her script. 

What she definitely hadn’t planned at all was that she had started to get pretty close with Tom. It had happened kind of unnoticed as she hadn’t paid too much attention first on the undertones of his attention to her. So they had had dinners and long lunch meetings, all in the name of developing the script. But she had realised at some point that it wasn’t anymore just about the script. She enjoyed Tom’s company very much also apart from professional perspective for various reasons but at that point she realised that she had actually developed feelings towards Tom. 

Feelings that weren’t all ok considering that she was still married. 

Then one day Tom had called her and invited her to dinner at his place with seriousness in his voice. He had wanted to talk with her about something. Something else than the script. 

So Eva had stood once again at Tom’s door at 7 pm with a bottle of wine they both liked a lot. She had been nervous as she hadn’t been quite sure how Tom would see their situation and how she would react if he hadn’t seen it the same way she did. She hadn’t been sure about her own thoughts and feelings about the situation either. 

What she definitely had been was conflicted between the feelings towards Tom and rational thoughts about what was right and wrong. She was still very married. She hadn’t yet started the divorce process even though she and her husband hadn’t even lived in the same country most of the time during the last year. She also had felt bad about it as she should’ve done something about it much sooner.

Bobster had basically flewn from the door to greet her once Tom had opened the door. The dog had clearly been the only one who wasn’t very much self aware and unsure about how the evening would go. 

”So, what are we having for dinner?” Eva had started akwardly after he had closed the door behind her and taken her coat and put it on the rack.  
”My specialité - bolognese” Tom had stated shortly and continued ”Umm, should we talk before we eat? I don’t feel like eating before we have set the record straight”  
He looked her honestly right in the eyes and clearly meant every word.  
”Ehm… Sure. I mean, sorry, yes, I agree” she managed to say.  
”Let’s sit down on the living room, the food is still in the oven” he had said, taken her by the hand and lead her to the sofa next to his massive wall of books.

Ok, this is not definitely a bad sign, Eva had thought. Or is it? Does he want to sooth me from what’s about to come so that I won’t totally break down? Oh my god, it must be that. 

Within the few seconds it took to walk to the sofa she had gone through propably every possible negative scenario about what was about to happen in her head. But what had happened was not what what she had been afraid.

”Listen, I have feelings for you” Tom had started once they sat down”Very, very strong ones in fact” he paused. ”I think I am in love with you, Eva”  
She had been stunned to hear the exact words she had wanted.  
”I… I think… Wow. That wasn’t what I was expecting” she had replied ”Or well, I was hoping for something like that but...” she mumbled.

But Tom had kissed her before she had been able to say what she wanted. Right on the mouth, long and deep. And she hadn’t refused even a bit.  
”Hey, are you ok?” Tom had asked once he broke the kiss and looked at her with his gorgeous blue eyes. Apparently she had looked as stunned as she felt.  
”Yes, very” she had replied without any hesitation and blushed. ”You want to do that thing again? I’m not quite sure I got the message” she had continued with a smirk and raised her eyebrow.  
Tom had chuckled and kissed her again and the last bits of her insecurity about his feelings had melted away. 

They had kept kissing and fondling on the sofa for a good while when the eggtimer had interrupted their moment. Which was definitely going to all kinds of places she had wished for for a long time.  
”Ah, food” Tom had said disappointedly ”I am hungry though” he confessed.  
”Yeah, so am I” she had admitted laughing.

Eva had set the table and Tom had opened the wine and poured their glasses full. Once they had managed to get the food on the plates after lots of kisses, hugs and laughter they had ended up eating with only forks as they held hands and talked about everything else except the script throughout the dinner.

”You know, I don’t want to be a spoiler, but how are we going to make this work?” she had asked worryingly once they had finished the meal and Tom was filling the dishwasher.  
”I was thinking about that earlier too” he said ”but I think we will find a way, don’t we?”  
”I sure hope so” she had replied with a faint smile.  
Tom had come and crouched next to her saying ”Listen, we don’t have to figure everything out right now, Eva. We can take tonight off from worrying, can’t we?”  
He had looked her assuringly and she felt tears building up into her eyes because he clearly wanted this to happen even though he must’ve known what could follow.  
”I want this, I really do” he had said ”If I wasn’t sure about that I wouldn’t have told you about my feelings or kissed you. I know that you have still unsettled business with your ex...” He had paused and sighed. ”Eva, you are the most wonderful woman I have ever met. You are kind, generous and fun to be around. You are intelligent and I enjoy having philosophical discussions or even better any kind of discussions with you. I notice myself thinking of how you would think about things when I am not with you. I want to share so much with you. And to know that you want that too is all I need to be willing to face and go through whatever comes our way.”  
”I want that too, Tom. I love you too” she had replied, cupped his face in her hands and kissed him.

After that Tom had stood up, grabbed her into his arms and carried her upstairs.

The following morning she had woken up before Tom and let Bobster out for a wee in the back garden. Then she had made coffee and toast and carried them on a tray upstairs and laid it down on the bedside table.

”Hey prince charming, wake up. Breakfast is ready” she had whispered into his ear. Tom had slowly opened his other eye, smiled, grabbed her hands and pulled her back to bed next to him.  
”Hey you” he had whispered looking into her eyes and moved his head so close to hers that their noses touched.  
”Hey you too” she had replied and given him an eskimo kiss.  
”I’m so happy that you are right here, next to me, right now” he continued.  
”I’m happy too” she murmured ”I wish we could keep this just to us”  
”Yeah, I know” Tom had sighed ”We just need to be smart about it. You’ve come and gone here already for months and the press hasn’t found out. That’s good at least”  
”Oh man, I need to sort out the divorce now. I so wish I had taken care of it earlier” she muttered.  
”I’m going to be by your side through and through, ok? I’m with you” he said softly ”I will do all I can to make sure that you can take care of it in peace and without any fuss from anyone.”

Eva had left Tom’s house after they had had breakfast and a very nice replay of the night’s events. She had decided to start organising the divorce papers now for real and she didn’t want to push it any further. Yet she dreaded to make the call to her soon-to-be-ex. She had never been good talking about any negative issues and this was about as negative as anything gets.

### Few weeks later

Eva had finally managed to talk to her ex and they had agreed upon the divorce and how it would go through. As they had already lived separately almost a year all they needed was to prove their separation to a judge and the divorce would be clear. Though she needed to be there in person to present her case so she had to visit her home country once more.

Tom was in the corridor checking his bags for the last time before leaving to do reshoots for his upcoming film. His ride to the airport was about to come any minute. Eva sat on the floor scratching Bobster and keeping him away from his master’s feet while he was doing his final checks.  
”Are you sure you absolutely have everything you absolutely need with you?”she teased knowing that it would annoy Tom while he was doing his last checkups.  
”Yes, I am making sure of that right now. Darling, just… let me do this. I won’t leave without saying goodbye to you properly but I never get there if you won’t give me a moment’s peace” he chuckled and glanced at her frowning as if he was angry about it and then kept looking through his bags.  
Once Tom was through checking the bags he got up and grabbed Eva from the floor into his arms. He carried her to the sofa where they snuggled for a moment and talked while waiting Tom’s ride to arrive.

"I really am sorry about leaving you to cope with this alone. I would never ever do this unless the schedule was ridiculously tight and at the last moment" Tom said hugging her tight.  
"I know. Just, don't worry about it. I'm a big girl already. And besides, you have taken good care of me already by arranging the drive to the airport and a seat in the plane. A girl couldn't ask for anything more" she said softly kissing his forehead.  
"Yes, but I ought to be there to support you. It is also because of me you're doing this, you know" he said with sadness and frustration in his voice.  
”Darling, it is not your fault” Eva said and cupped Tom’s face into her hands ”I should’ve done this a long time ago.”

Tom looked her right in the eyes and said: "Just remember Eva that I am always here for you no matter what. Even though I am not there in person you are in my thoughts all the time. Once more time unto the breach, my friend, once more”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eva's plane lands at her home country and once she walks out of the customs she is faced with an army of reporters and photographers asking her about her relationship with Tom and has she told him that she's married. She finds out that her whole past has been leaked to the yellow press by someone she trusted.

The seat belt light turned off and people started to exit the plane. Eva sat on her seat feeling sick and not able to move. She still couldn’t comprehend fully what had happened. She knew that it would happen once she stepped out of the airport though. It would hit her right in the face like a dead, smelly fish.

Only after the stuart asked her if she was ok she realised that the whole plane was already empty and she was the last one on it. She took a deep breath and gathered her bag and hand luggage.

It can not be that bad, can it? she told herself.

Her phone chirped with a message from Luke once she turned it on. Someone was waiting for her at the waiting area with a sign with an alias “Sandra Hamilton” on it. She laughed as that was the name of one of the characters on her script. This wasn’t definitely the way she wanted to connect with her own creation.

Then there was another message, one that made the lump in her throat to swell again. It was from Tom.

“Eva, I love you with all my heart. I am so sorry about this. I wish you didn’t have to go through anything like this ever. But we both knew this was something that might happen. Just remember, you are not alone in this. I’m with you all the way. I will call you from the set when I have the chance. I love you so so much. Tom”

Her home country was small and a mere relationship with someone even moderately famous would be the talk of the whole country for weeks. Or at least of the yellow press, but depending of the lack of other news today, at worst she would be on the national nine o’clock news. But even that wouldn’t be as bad as what would be waiting for her when she got back to London. That was something she didn’t even want to think about yet. As long as she got through the crowd, into the car and to her hotel that was enough for now.

There was definitely a lot of people in the waiting area as she could hear the sounds of people talking excitedly behind the custom’s doors. All she needed to do was to spot the guy with the sign and get through the crowd to him. She concentrated on that and walked through the doors.

A sea of flashlights hit her almost immediately once the doors opened. Reporters started shouting her questions and it felt like the whole waiting area had turned into a roaring sea of people and flash lights. She sighed with relief once she noticed a tall man with a sign with her alias in it and she almost ran to him. The man, who later introduced himself as Mark, grabbed her hand luggage and ushered her out of the main doors, away from the press and into the car waiting outside.

Mark loaded her bags into the car and she took the passenger seat.  
“I took the liberty of getting all possible tabloids for you to get you up-to-date on what you’re up against” Mark said once he sat on the driver’s seat and started the car.  
“Thanks. Not that there’s something I don’t already know” she replied dryly “Except if they’re lies, then that’s going to be interesting.”

She was on the cover of every tabloid. How was it that they always chose the worst photo when it was a scoop like this? Well, to portrait her in the worst possible light of course. But still. Now she, too, knew how that felt.

‘She’s THE ONE for a Hollywood star’, ‘Oops, Hollywood star’s girlfriend was already married’ and “Hollywood star is a homewrecker” the headlines screamed. The fun part was that not that many people actually knew who Tom was apart from Loki. At least they had not paired her with fictional character on the headlines. Thank god for small favors.

She skimmed the stories through while they drove to her hometown. Her bad feeling got worse when she realised that whoever had leaked the story had told the reporters everything she had ever done wrong in her life. Starting from her issues with alcohol, her mental illness and the affair she had had in the early years of her marriage. She felt feeble and utterly lost. How could anyone do this to someone they cared?

After a silent few hour drive they arrived at her hotel. Mark helped her to get set to her room. He would stay in the room next door and escort her everywhere as long as she was in the country. That had been Tom’s specific request when he had briefed Mark with Luke on skype.

After Mark had left to get her something to eat she tried to call her ex again. This time he answered.  
“Why?” she blurted once he answered the call.  
“Why the hell not?” he answered angrily “You had an affair again. Even though I knew the marriage was already over few years ago I still had hope in you that you wouldn’t at least do this again. Serves you right.”  
She tried to hold her tears back.  
“I know I have a bad track record on this, yes. I am sorry. But I thought it was clear for the both of us that we were over a long time ago. I have had a life in London for years already and you weren’t willing to move there. I think that should’ve been a clear sign.”  
“Yeah, sure. Whatever. I just want the divorce papers to be signed now. The sooner the better. I’m more than happy to get rid of you for good” he scorned.  
“I just have one question to ask from you” she said and took a deep breath “If you just answer that I won’t bother you ever again. Was it you who leaked it?”  
“No. It wasn’t me. It was your dear old friend Anna” he answered bluntly.

Of all the people Anna was the last person she thought could do something like this. Anna was her best friend and they had known each other since childhood. Thus she had trusted Anna with all her secrets, old and new. Apparently her friendship didn’t mean too much as Anna had told the press not just about her current relationship with Tom but also everything about her past.

And the it hit her. There were things on the tabloids she hadn't told Tom. She needed to talk with him. Now.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tom hears about Eva's mental health issues and having an affair during her marriage through the revelations made to the press. They talk about the situation.

Eva bursted into tears when she saw Tom's face on the screen on facetime.  
"Hey you" he started and when he saw her sobbing face he continued "hey hey, don't cry love. Oh, I wish I could be there now with you."  
"Yeah, me too" she faintly smiled while tears rolled on her face "The last 24 hours have been horrible. I miss you so much."  
"I am so sorry about it all. I so wish you didn't have to go through this" Tom said sadness in his voice.  
"Well, it seems that it is my fault. I trusted someone who seems to have not been worth it" she crumbled and started crying again.  
"It is times like these when you unfortunately find out who of your friends is a real one and who is not" he replied supportively but clearly not too happy about the situation "But I don't want you to dwell on this too much. It won't change anything as we can really not have too much say in how it will play out." he paused. "So, I think you have something to tell me. I'm done for today so we can talk now for longer if it's ok for you? I know it is early morning there but this is the thing with long distances..."  
"Yeah, sure. I haven't been really able to sleep at all so we can talk. Umm... so, there's a lot to talk about. I am really sorry I didn't say about these things before. But I wasn't really concerned about these as we have been only dating for few weeks..." she started.  
"Yes, I know that" he said impatiently "and I know that I should have asked you earlier. But I was foolish, like I sometimes am, thinking that you have no skeletons in your closet. Even though I know that you have lived before me. It's just... "he paused and sighed "I sometimes throw myself into things with such intensity that I don't fully think things through." His voice cracked a bit and he paused to swallow "I really care for you Eva. I love you. I want nothing bad to happen to you. But to learn about all these things only now, after we have known each other for a while already and..."

Tom looked away from the camera. Eva felt devastated that she had hurt him so badly by withelding things from him. She knew it wasn't really about the things she had done, but about not telling about them.

"I am so sorry that I didn't think about what not telling you might cause. I didn't think this through either" she said and felt the lump in her throat swelling again. She had already cried so much today that she felt like she didn't have any energy to cry more.

So she told Tom everything about her past. How she had been diagnosed having bipolar disorder, how she had had an affair during one of her manic episodes and how she and her ex had managed to fix their marriage afterwards.

"When the affair happened I was a mess in many ways. Lost with the knowledge of diagnose and not understanding what it meant - a lifetime of taking care of myself in a whole another way than I did back then. I also wasn't yet fully grown up. I thought that I could do anything I wanted without any consequences, that I was somehow entitled to do whatever I wanted. But I do understand that having the affair during a manic period does not take away my responsibility in making the mistake. None of that makes it ok. And even though we managed to fix a lot of the damage the affair did to our marriage, it never was the same. But I do take care of myself a lot better now and it keeps my head together. As you know I go to bed early, sleep properly and stay away from partying and alcohol. I haven't had manic episodes for years now thanks to that."  
Tom listened silently when she explained how things had happened and only spoke when she was done.  
"You do know that not telling me about these issues hurt me more than the issues themselves?" he asked.  
"Yes, I do. And I am sorry about it. I absolutely understand if you find it hard to forgive me..." she replied quietly.  
"But I do forgive you Eva. We all make mistakes but I believe in second chances. No one is beyond redemption" he said supportively and smiled to the camera.  
"Thank you" she managed to say through her sobbing "I wish I could hug you right now"  
"I think tonight you need to be happy about hugging pillows and thinking that it's me" he laughed but continued more seriously "I wish I could hug you now too. But hey, I will be back home next week, and we can talk everyday before that, that's something isn't it?"

The next day Eva faced her ex in the magistrate to finish their marriage. They didn't say a lot to each other but just signed the papers and left.  
"I'm sorry it had to happen like this..." she started.  
"Yeah, I'm sorry too" the ex replied "Listen, we don't have to do this anymore. Now we're free to go our separate ways. You go where you're happy and I go try to find my happiness now from somewhere new."  
Eva wanted to hug him, but she knew that wouldn't be right anymore. They were now done for real. They parted smiling shortly to each other.

The following day Eva was back on the plane flying to London. After meeting with her mom shortly and getting lectured again how not to live her life, she decided to stay away from her family and ex-home for good. At least for the time being. She didn't have anyone there she wanted to stay actively in contact anymore. Her life was truly now somewhere else in full. Besides, she had other things to worry about.

Yellow press in the UK and US, online medias and gossip sites and Tom's fandom were ruthless about their relationship. She had been crucified, ripped into pieces and spat on such venom that she didn't even think was possible.

Those people didn't know her. They only knew about who and what she was through media that definitely wasn't on anybody's but their own side. But jealousy made women do horrible things to each other, she knew that much. No matter what else was claimed, the need to keep a man only to themselves, no matter how much it was about the mental image and not the real deal itself, was behind it all.

Tom had instructed her to stay offline, not to react to anything and just keep her head down and keep living her life no matter what. That was all they could do now, really. No one would listen to what they had to say. No one would be interested in it. Or if they were, it was only to twist it into something else.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eva's relationship with Tom and her divorce is the talk of the town in UK and in US. She is denounced as a golddigger, among other things. The pressure is building on Tom as he starts to promote his upcoming film soon.

Eva's relationship with Tom had been the talk of all possible tabloid, magazine and newspaper for months. The media was definitely milking all they could out of her divorce and the fact that she had divorced only after the news of the relationship were leaked.

Her motives for the script were widely questioned too. That she had only written it to get into the proximity of Tom. That the script wasn’t really that good – even though Tom’s involvement as one of the producers was officially announced way earlier than the relationship even happened.

A lot of things were tangled into her and Tom’s relationship both at work and private life. It was hard for people outside their sphere to understand that true feelings could evolve while working together. Or that not all people who worked for making a dream come true in film business for years, like Eva had for years with her script, were in it just to gain something superfacial. And as usual, media was talking about them only because it brought tons of clicks, users and views for their ads. 

The more they talked about her and her divorce, the worse Eva felt. And when she felt it, so did Tom. Even though they were obviously very serious about their relationship the talk by people who had nothing to do with it started slowly to show.

”Listen Eva, can we talk about this whole situation?” Tom asked her one evening when they spoke on facetime ”I think we need to get clear on some issues as I will start promoting the next film soon. And I don’t want to put any more pressure on you as you already have, I just want to talk about it.”  
”Sure, shoot” she replied.  
”Luke has had requests for the promotion tour and I’m not comfortable with some of them. Even though I make the final decisions on who I talk to or what I will talk about there is definitely a specific tone in some of them. I worked through similar issues earlier, as you know, and got hurt in the process quite badly. That caused me to withdraw from social media and just concentrate on the work and promotion in everything I do in public. I just wanted to make sure that even though I won’t address any of the questions about my - and yours - private lives, it is not because I am somehow ashamed of you. I just don’t want to talk about it with anyone else. I do it also because I want to protect you. I don’t want to share you with the rest of the world even though they try to get me do that really hard.”  
”I know” she said quietly.  
”So, I was thinking about the producing of your script and how good idea it is now that this whole thing has happened. I mean, I still want to produce it, but I think I need to take a step back from the official producing. I will make sure that another producer will officially take over the project but I still stay with you on the project. I just think that the promoting of the project will be really hard without sharing our personal lives as is and if I am so invested in it, it is going to make the sales more difficult. No serious distributor will want the kind of drama film your is to be promoted on just any means. It needs to have credibility and if I am forced to talk about our lives while promoting it…” he continued.  
”Hey, who is now going too fast?” she snapped ”IF we ever GET INTO the actual promoting. I’m confused. What do you mean?”  
”I mean that I am worried that the project will get wrong kind of attention. That’s what I am concerned about.” Tom said honesty in his voice ”You do understand that it is a financial investment on my part as well?”  
”Oh absolutely I do. But I thought that it wasn’t about the money.” She paused. ”What are you actually implying Tom? Just spit it out before I freak out.”  
”I don’t want to be in the project as a producer anymore. I will still be part of the cast, don’t worry about that.”

She was stunned. The project they had been working so hard for months seemed now to have become to a crossroad. She understood why Tom would feel like this and it was a valid point from financial point of view. He was very invested in the project and even though the fuss around their lives would calm down, his declining to talk about their lives might easilycause the sales to stall. When he wasn’t as invested in it, it would be easier to make distinctions between their lives and the project. Also they wouldn’t have to do promotion together necessarily apart from film festivals.

But at the same time she felt bad about it. That he wasn’t willing to push through the things they possibly had to face in the future because of her, her past and the mess they were currently in.

It was true though that the interest towards the script from producers had declined. She had noticed that earlier already. Her agent was working hard and tried to do her best but whenever the producers heard about Tom and her they started to have second thoughts.

And now Tom was stepping out of it too.

She felt powerless. But at least she still had Tom in her life. That was now more important than even getting the script produced.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tom returns home from the promotion tour and he wants to have a chat with Eva.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had to make some adjustments to the previous chapter. Please re-read it before devouring this chapter! Sorry and thanks!

Tom had been on promotion tour for weeks. When he came home, there was something new in the air. Tom wasn't as affectionate as he used to be. And that got Eva really worried.

"Oh god how I have missed you" Eva jumped to Tom's lap when he walked in. They kissed but somehow it was different. Tom didn't respond to the kiss with the same depth he used to. Her stomach dropped.

"What's going on?" She asked him.  
"Let's sit down, please" he said and they sat down on the sofa.  
"I have to confess something. I have been thinking about you a lot during the last weeks I've been away. And it hasn't always been in a good way. I've been worried, I've been jealous, I've been anxious. "  
"Okay..." she started but Tom interrupted her.  
"Please, let me finish. I need to say this now. All of it. It seems that your past is really hard for me to get over. Especially the infidelity. I know that you are not manic and that you are aware of yourself better these days, but it still haunts me. I don't exactly know why. I just... I just don't want to feel like this. I don't feel comfortable in being this insecure. As a grown man I know that all I can control is what I think and what I do. But this is driving me nuts."

She couldn’t believe what he was saying. The lump in her throat was swelling and she felt feeble.

"So what are you saying Tom? Just please, spit it out" she said.  
"I think it would be best if we don't continue our relationship any more"  
The silence was tangible.  
”You seem very serious about this” she said.  
”I am very serious about this” Tom replied and looked her in the eyes ”This… this is a strain that I just can not take. And I feel that all what’s happening outside us is giving you so much pressure too. I think it is for the best.”  
Eva broke down to tears and Tom couldn’t hold his tears back either.  
”I don’t want to hurt you Eva, but I can’t do this. Not again” he said with a cracking voice.

She felt betrayed. She was now left utterly alone. Her family basically abandoned her when she divorced and she had left her false friends at her home country behind and not yet made that many new ones. She couldn’t stay in contact with Tom’s friends either who she had gotten to know during their brief relationship - they were his friends.

”I understand where you’re coming from” she started when the sobbing eased. ”It must be a horrible burden for you. But breaking up because of it… I’m sorry that you feel that it is the only way through this.”  
”I know you’re hurt. And I don’t want to hurt you...” Tom tried to say but she stopped him.  
”But yet you do, Tom. You do hurt me with this” she snapped ”Tom just stop saying that because it is inevitable now. There’s no way this is not going to hurt me.”

She grabbed her bag and her jacket and walked out from the door leaving Tom sitting on the sofa alone.

Once she got home she decided to sleep a good night sleep and then think about the situation again the next day. She did have medication to help with that so she took it and hit her bed.

The next day Eva woke up feeling sick from all the crying she had done the previous day despite the good night sleep she’d had. She felt utterly alone, lost and ugly both in and outside. And then all her wrongdoings came back in one flash. Tom had left her because of what she had done. She should’ve taken care of the divorce long time before she did. She should’ve known not to trust her friends. She should’ve been faithful to her ex. She should’ve changed her lifestyle first thing when she found out about her disorder. She should’ve listened to her mom. She felt that it was she that had been wrong in everything. She felt that she didn’t have anything to fight for any more.

She called her agent and cancelled all meetings for the week. She couldn’t face anyone even remotely related to the script. Not now when she and Tom were over. She hoped it would get easier with time – as it would for normal people – but she knew that it might not. Depression had always been her middle name and she could even now feel the dark cloud rising in her head.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eva continues drowning her sorrow into old, bad habits...

Eva decided to take the week off, not have any meetings and just take care of herself. No one else was there to do that anyway. And so she did. She slept well with the meds but she also felt horrible because she still blamed herself for the breakup. One night she decided to have a glass of wine, then on a second night she had another, then it was a bottle. Once the week was over she was back on her old ways with drinking alcohol and using sleeping meds at the same time.

But she couldn’t see what she was doing to herself. All she could see was the grey cloud of depression hanging low all around her and she was standing on a bridge trying to get through it. She didn’t have any solid ground beneath her, just a bridge she would have to cross to get to safety. The alcohol and the meds made her forget all the bad things she had ever done at least for a while. They made her forget the grey cloud for a passing moment that she tried to make last longer.

When she was about to get back to work her agent called and told her the production house that had been working with her had decided to pull back from the project. 

Suddenly Eva was back at the starting point where she had been just about 5 months ago. All the work she had done for nothing.

This time was different to be at the starting point though: she was also depressed. She knew she needed help but she decided that she’d get that immediately the next day. That night she’d have one more bottle of wine, sleep well and then take bull by the horns.

\---

Eva woke up to a bleeping sound. She didn’t quite recognise the sound but it definitely wasn’t the alarm on her phone. It was constant, like a pulse. Bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep. Her eyelids felt heavy and the view was hazy when she opened them. Someone was calling a nurse somewhere close. Everywhere was white. All. White. Except there was a dark figure of a man next to her.

”Hey you” the figure said and she felt someone grab her hand. Large warm hands that she knew. They were Tom’s. That hit her consciousness: why was Tom there?  
”What… why am I…” she tried to say but her throat was dry and the words just didn’t come the way they should have.  
”Shhhh, don’t try to speak. Here, have some water.” he said.  
A straw was brought to her lips and while drinking she realised how thirsty she was. She blinked her eyes again and her view started to focus slowly. It wasn’t that she didn’t see anything but white, it was because the walls and the ceiling were white. She was in a white room. 

The bleeping stopped. A nurse came next to her and asked how she was doing. She said she felt tired and thirsty but otherwise ok. She was told a doctor was about to come and check her.

It hit her. She was in a hospital. 

”Why am I in a hospital?” she asked with a dry voice.  
”You had an overdose” Tom replied ”But you’re ok now. I...” Tom continued but was interrupted by a doctor.  
”So Miss Pond, you’re awake. We were pretty concerned about you for a while there. Good to see you came back” the doctor said. ”Do you know why you’re here at the hospital?”  
”No, no I don’t” she replied confused.  
”This fine gentleman here found you at your apartment almost at the brink of death from an overdose of alcohol and sleeping medicines few days ago. Do you have any recollection what happened?” the doctor continued.  
She repeated her previous answer.  
”It seems that you had a quite a lot of alcohol and medicines together. I found two bottles of wine and an empty package of sleeping meds at your place when I came over. I rushed you here at the last moment” Tom said with tears in his eyes.

Eva was shocked. She had no recollection of anything she had done. All she remembered was that she was about to call her doctor the day after. She didn’t have any recollection of the wine or the medicines.

”I came over to tell you that I realised what a horrible mistake I had made when I said those things to you earlier. I was tired when I did that. It won't make it anything better but I just wished you would've forgiven me. So I freaked out when I found you the way I did.” He continued sobbing ”I didn’t want to lose you. I don’t want to lose you, Eva. Ever.” He kissed her cheek and she felt tears building up to her eyes too.  
”I don’t want to lose you either, Tom”


	9. Epilogue

After Eva woke up from the overdose she was admitted to a mental hospital to treat her depression for few months. Slowly her feeling got better, the depression stepped aside and life started to feel worth living again.

When Eva got out from the closed ward Tom was there to pick her up.  
”Hey you, don't you look dashing today” he teased her.  
”Hey you idiot” she answered laughing ”I don’t look dashing as I haven’t had anything to pluck my eyebrows with or had my hair taken care of properly for months!”  
”Nah, you look dashing to me” he continued and embraced her. ”Look who I took with me to get you.” He pointed to his car where Bobby was barking like crazy on the sight of her. ”You look almost alike now with him” he continued teasing her and she punched him on the side.

”So, you’re stuck with me now for a while” he started when they hit the M5 but not to London. ”I am making sure you’re alright for the few upcoming months”.  
"Hey where are we going? This is the wrong way." Eva wondered out loud.  
"We are going to our new home. I closed that house deal I was talking about last week. Everything is taken care of, your stuff, my stuff, Bobster's stuff - it's all there already."  
"Hiddleston, are you moving in with me?" Eva asked not believing what she was hearing.  
"Yes, yes I am" he replied with a smile.  
She couldn't love this man any more.


End file.
